Snider

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — The trial of Joshua Snider ended Thursday with a guilty verdict on all counts, including attempted murder by stabbing.

At the end of the three-day trial, the jury deliberated for about an hour and 10 minutes. Snider’s sentencing was set for May 2.

Belmont County Prosecutor Kevin Flanagan said via text message that Snider is facing a maximum of 14 years in prison, since the attempted murder and felonius assault charges he faced will be merged. The fleeing and vandalism charges against him will also be merged.

Snider, 46, of Bridgeport was charged with attempted murder, felonious assault, failure to comply with the order or signal of police and vandalism. The incident occurred July 25 at 6 Patterson Road, Bridgeport. Steven Chambers was hospitalized with serious injuries as a result of an altercation there.

The stabbing happened during a confrontation between Snider and Chambers about apparent interactions between Snider and Chambers’ girlfriend.

Law enforcement searched for Snider that week, and on July 29 he was arrested after a high-speed pursuit from U.S. 250 near Colerain onto Old Cadiz Road. Speeds reached 65 mph on U.S. 250 and 45 mph on Old Cadiz Road before Snider’s car crashed into about 10 headstones at Weeks Cemetery, causing about $750 in damages.

Belmont County Assistant Prosecutor Chris Gagin handled the state’s case, which included interviews with law enforcement and footage of the chase that culminated in Snider’s arrest.

Snider’s defense attorney, Sterling Gill II, had argued that Chambers was the aggressor, that Snider was unreliable due to drug involvement, and that the knife found with Snider and brass knuckles found on Chambers should have been analyzed for DNA.

“We think there are some definite appealable issues,” Gill said afterward. “That’s what I believe Mr. Snider will be doing. I don’t know that we’ll be representing him on appeal, but he did indicate that he wants to appeal.”

The prosecution rested its case Wednesday evening and Gill called one witness – Derek Vargo, who was Snider’s passenger during the pursuit and arrest. Gill had been allowed to call Allison West, one of the homeowners of the Patterson Road residence, prior to the prosecution starting its case.

“But the witness that I wanted to call and who wanted to testify was Josh Snider,” Gill said. “The court wouldn’t permit that. … I can’t really say too much more than that at this point. He did want to testify and the court wouldn’t allow him to testify. … All I can say is there were some procedural issues. … He did want to testify, and we felt that his right to testify would supercede any procedural issues that were raised. I’ll just have to leave it at that. The court didn’t agree with that, and that’s their right, so we’ll just have to, as Mr. Snider indicated, take it up on appeal.”

Belmont County Common Pleas Judge John Vavra said both sides had rested their cases Wednesday and discussions about whether Snider would testify occurred outside the presence of the jury.

“The defense had the chance to present their case,” Vavra said. “The attorney said they were deciding whether the defendant would testify. I gave them a couple of minutes and the attorney said, ‘Well, we want to wait ’til tomorrow to make the decision,’ and I declined that request.”

Vavra said he advised Snider of his rights, options and consequences.

“While they were still thinking of it I explained everything to the defendant, that he had the right not to testify, that it was his choice, but if he did testify I told him he would be subject to cross-examination by the state’s attorney and explained all of his rights,” Vavra said. “Finally they indicated they would rest their case without him testifying.”

Vavra said Thursday morning Gill asked if Snider could consider whether he wanted to testify.

“I asked if the defense had any compelling reasons as to why I should grant that request, and I didn’t believe that they had any,” Vavra said. “Also the state was opposed to the request to reopen the evidence, and so again I rejected that request.”